System of electrical distribution.



1-. A. ZIKA. SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

APPLIQATION FILED JUNE 22, 1914 iatented Mar. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. A. ZIKA.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZZ. I914 Patented Mar. 30, 1915,

2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

a: run srarus new enrich.

FRANK A. ZIKA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T JAMES E.BARRY,

. OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

ll.i33,525.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 22, 1914. Serial No. 646,441.

To all wjzom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. Znra, a. subject of Austria-I'Iungary, andIQSlClGlllfOf Chicago,in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Electr calDistribution, (Case 1),) of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, andexact spec1heation.

My invention relates to improvements in high potential circuits for theelectric spark producing means for internal combustion engines and meansfor controlling said oncuits.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means for controllingthe high potential circuits coming from two sources of current supplyfor a dual set of spark plugs for each of the cylinders of an internalcoinbustion engine, whereby either source of can rent supply mayinstantly be connected to either set of spark plugs or both sources ofcurrent supply may be connected to the re spective set of spark plugs bya simple and easily operable switch and whereby all wires andconnections for the entire number of spark plugs may immediately andsimultaneously be removed, in a self contained structure, from saidplugs.

Another object of my invention is to-pro- Vide a housing or protectingcover for the spark plugs, comprising an integral. structare, such as acontinuous tube adapted to Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken online -2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig.4 1s a transverse section taken on line H of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a centralsectional view of the switch mechanism. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectiontaken through the switch on line 6-6 looking in the direction of thearrows. Fig. 7 is a similar section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 5; lookingin the direction of the arrows.

with a metal cap 28, containing Fig. 8 is a similar section taken online 8-8 of Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, and Fig. 9is a top plan view of the re movable member or cover of a switch, andFig. 10 is an enlarged detail section taken on the line 10--l0 of Fig.1.

In all the views the same reference charactors are employed to indicatesimilar parts.

15 is an engine of the ordinary type, 16 is a fly wheel, 17, l8, l9 and20 are the respective cylinders of the engine, 21 is the magneto forsupplying high tension current for the purpose of producing sparkswithin the cylinder of the engine and affording one source of currentsupply, and 22 is a battery affording another source of current supply.23 is the induction coil casing, which also contains a switch operableby the handle 2%. 25 is the usual current distributor and 26 is thevertical shaft rotatable for the purpose of operating the distributer asusual in such structures. So far I have described the parts common-toengines of this type. Each of the cylinders is provided with two sparkplugs. One of the series for each engine I have indicated by the letterA and the other series I have indicated by letter B. A tube 27 ofsuitable material, may be of hard rubher or the like, extendshmgitudinally of the cylinders and is provided on each of its ends aclip 29, and a set screw 30. A rod 3]. is secured to the end cylinder,17 and 20, as by bolts32, the upper ends of the rods extend above thecylinders and are adapted to enter the clips 29-29, the tube 27 isadjustable on said rods and is secured. in position by means ,of theclamp screws 3030. The tube 27 is perforated at intervals as at a=b forinsertion of the respective spark plugs A and B. A partition 34, ofinsulating material, extends longitudinally of the tube and is securedin substantially diainctric position by means of pins The partition 34:may be centrally perforated as at 36, or divided into two parts foradmission of the wires that are to be connected to the plugs a and 7),re spectively, that are screwed into the partition support and arelocated in such position as to register with the perforations a and Z)in the outer tube 27. The plugs a and I) each have connected on theirlower ends a spring clip 38 which is secured thereto by means of a screw39. The clip 38 yieldingl engages a contact 40 carried by the upperPatented Mar. 30, 1915.

end of the spark plugs A and :6. Wires a, a, a and a connect therespective plugs A that are supported in the partition 34c with themagneto ill, and wires 6, b, I), connect the respective plugs B withwires leading from the secondary of the induc tio'n coils contained inthe casing Other wires m m m and m lead from the magneto 21 to asuitable switch containedin the casing 23. Wires al (P, d and at connectthe said switch with the distributer 25, and wires 22- and 22 connectthe storage battery 22 with (the primary oi the induction coilscontained within the casing; 23. By this means the spark plugs A of therespective cylinders 17, 18, 19 and 20, may be energized-by sparkscoming from the magneto 21 and. spark plugs designated by the letter Bmay be energized by current coming from the induction coils, locatedwithin the casing 23. These wires are contained for purpose ofconvenience, within fixed protecting pipes 411, 42, and Pipe 43terminates in a switch. set. These pipes are fixed to the enginestructure by clips 415, or otherwise. The lower member, l6 oi the switch44, is secured tothe upper end of the pipe 43, and the up gier or topmember 4:7 of the switch, is secli red to a pipe 48, which is secured tothe protecting pipe or tube 27, as-at 49. The arrangement is such thatwhen the tube or pipe 2? is removed the pipe 48 the upper cap member 4.5of the switch is, as Wiili'RS the wires connecting theseinstrumentaiities may be bodily removed with the tube.

The switch 4% is preferably made of hard rubber and contains five majorparts. the.

base L6, the cap 47, aindtbe cup part 50, which contains a. movable ring51, and an internal rotatable dist: The latter rotates upon a centralstem The ring 51, is adapted to be slightly oscillated by means of theradially extending handle 51, which is secured thereto, and the disk 52is adapt ed. to be. slightly oscillated by the radially disposed handle55, which is secured to the said disk. These parts are limited in theirmovements in slots 56 and 57 respectively, which are made in the sidewalls of the cup shaped member 50. The ring; 51 carries con tact pins AA, ii and A which are adapted to complete the circuit for the sparkplugs indicated by the. letter A. and the dislc 52 carries similar pinsdesignated by the letters ll, 13, B and l3 which are adapted to completethe electric circuits for the 'spective spark plugs B. These pins arecircurnferentially elongated on t under side "of: the disk as at A, A Ai i-i' as t maintain electric circuit with the resueettve pinsimmediately underlving the ring. fit, when the said rings are ightlyoscii a and the disk 52 is pro ided with similar elcngations B", B B and.5?)

, respectively.

The cup shaped member 50 contains similar contact pins withoutextensions which I have indicated by the same reference numerals A A,A", and A and B B B and B", respectively.

The cover or top member 47, shown reduced in size in Fig. 9, is providedwith 16 perforations and an equal number of contacting pins, four ofwhich pins I have des ignated by reference characters A A, A and A andthe other complementary pins 1 have designated by reference charactersA, A, A and A. The other set of pins I have designated by the referencecharacters B B B and B and'the complemem tary pins by 13 B, B and B Aand B are connected togdtherby a crossipiece and from this cross piecethe wire a" is connected, and this 'wire communicates with the sparkplug A of cylinder 17, and in like manner the respective connections forthe other pins are made on top of the cover, as clearly indicated inFig. 9.

A switch lever 60 is pivoted, as at 61, and is connected at its ends byrods 62 and 63, respectively. The rod 63 is pivotally co nected with theswitch lever- 54 which oscil lates the disk 52 and the rod 62isconnected with the lever 55 which oscillates the ring 5]., so thatwhen pressure is applied to either end of the switch lever 60, as intheoperation of a push button switch, the levers 54 and will berespectively oscillated, one will be moved ahead and the other leverwill be moved in a rearward direction. Nowit is evident that if the disk52 be rotatedsli 'htly' in one direction, by means of the push buttonswitch referred to, that the current will 7 be communicated from themagneto to the series of spark plugs A, for instance, and it the ring 51be at the same time slightly oscillated in the opposite direction,current- Will be carried from the induction coils, energized by thestorage battery, to the series of spark plugs 13 and if the ring anddisk be oscillated in the opposite direction, as by pressure upon theother end of the switch.

lever 80, the respective spark plugs will be ener zed from the othersource oi: electric Q energy so that by merely pressing on one or theother end of the switch lever 60 the series of spark plugs may beenergized by either source of electric energy, the battery or themagneto, or from both sources of energy, or by pressing the switch leveronly slightly in one direction or the other, either over one Wire fromthe magneto to a spark,

plug, and from the v spark plug -to a mnded to the framebf llltl engine,the

messes g ground on the engine frame and from that ground to the rotatingmember of the distributer 25 and through the wire selected by thedistributor d d d and d, as the case may be, back to the magneto, overone of the wires m m m, or m*, and in this manner the clrcuit may alsobe closed and traced from the secondary windings of the inductioncoilscontained within the casing 38, throughany one of the respective sparkplugs. 1

. As the tube27, and the tube 48 are-secured together and contain thewires necessary for completing the circuits to the spark plugs, and asthe tube 48 is also secured to the bodily removable cap member 47, ofthe switch, "it is only necessary to loosen the thumb screws '30 fromthe stems or rods 31-31 in order that the conductors contained withinthe tubes 27 and 48 may be entirely taken away and the spark plugsexamined, removed or changed, and when necessary a new structure of thesame character may re place the one removed; I

While I have herein shown a single embodiment of my invention andcertain arbitrary arrangement of circuits for the purpose of cleardisclosure, it is manifest that changes may be made both in thearrangement of the circuits and the character of the parts, withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a system ofthecharacter described,

, the combination of .two sources of electric energy; a set of sparkplugs to be energized by either source; permaneht electric 01rcuitsconnecting said sources of current to a switch; a switch, having aremovable member; a removable, conductor-carrying stru'cture connectedto the removable member of saidswitch, and conductors carried by saldstructure to connect the respective spark plugs tothe switch and meansfor securmg the said structure in place.

2. Inga system-of the character described, the combination of twosources of electric energy; a set of spark plugs to be energized byeither source; permanent electric circuits connecting said source ofcurrent to a switch; a switch, having a removable member; a removable,conductor-carrying structure, carrying the removable member of said.switch; conductors carried by said structure to connect the respectivespark plugs to the switch; yielding terminals for each said conductorcarried by said structure to automatically effect such connections andmeans for securing said structure in place with reference to said plug.

movable member; a removable, I carrying structure mechanically connectedswitch;,a switch having a removable member; a removable conductorcarrying tube perforated at intervals. to admit said spark plugs andcarrying said switch member; a longitudinally extending partition insaid tube,. above said perforation; conductors carried by said tubes,above said partition, to connect the respective-spark plugs to theswitch; yielding terminals, one for each said conductor, secured in saidpartition, to antomatically effect such connection and means forsecuring said structure in place with reference to said plugs.

4:. In a system of the character described, the combination of twosources of electric energy; two sets of spark plugs; permanent electric;circuits connecting said sources of current to a switch; a switch,having a re- 85 conductorwith a removable member of the switch;

conductors carried by said structure'to connect respective spark plugsto the switch and means for securing said structure in 7 place. 5. In asystem of the character described, the combination of two sources ofelectric energy; two sets of spark plugs; exposed terminals on theouter. ends of said plugs; permanent electric circuits connecting saidsources of energy to a switch; a switch, having a removable member; aremovable conductoncarrying structure mechanically connected to aremovable member of the switch; conductors carried by said structure;spring clips secured to the terminals of said c0nductor to connectrespective spark plugs to the switch and means for securing saidstructure in place. 6. In a system of the character described, aseparableconductor-carrying tube, perforated at intervals to receivespark plugs; a longitudinally extending partition of insu- 110 latingmaterial, in said tube; plugs, carrying spring clips for engaging sparkplugs, supported by saidpartition and registering with saidperforations; conductors connected with said plugs, one with each;another 115 tube connected with said first tube, through which saidconductors pass; a switch, one

member of which is removable with said tube structure and means forseparably securing said structure to an engine.

7. Ina system of the character described, a separable conductor-carryingtube,-'perforated at intervals to receive spark plugs; a longitudinallyextending partition of insulating material, in said tube; plugs,carrying spring clips, for engaging spark plugs, supported by saidpartition and registering with said perforations; conductors connect edwith said plugs, one with each; another tube connected with said firsttube, through which said conductors pass; a switch, one member of whichis removable with said tube structure; means for separably securingsaid. structure to an engine; two sources of electric energy andsuitable electric circuits connecting said switch thereto, whereby tocontrol said sources of energy.

8. A housing for a plurality of spark plugs comprising a tube having itsside wall perforated at suitable intervals corresponding to the distanceof separation of said plugs; a partition extending longitudinally ofsaid tube; a series of contact members, for Connection with said plugs,projecting from said partitions and registering with the respectiveperforations and a series of conducting wires, one connected to ea ;l1contact member, within the tube between the pa'tition and the closedside wall of the tu e. i

9. A housing for a plurality of spark.

plugs comprising a tube having its side wall perforated at suitableintervals corresponding to the distance of separation of said plugs; apartition extending longitudinally of said tube; a series or" contactmembers, for connection with said plugs, pro ecting from said partitionsand registering with I the respective perforations; spring clips securedto the outer ends of said contact memmy hand and affixed my seal, this18th day' of June, A. D. 1914.

FRANK A. ZIKA. 11.5. Witnesses MILDRED ELsNER, JNO. G. ELLIOTT.

